Awning



c. E. sKYuM A WNING` Filed Aug. 18, 1938 Patented July 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AWNIN G Christian E. Skyum, Chicago, Ill.

Application AugustrlS, 1938, Serial No. 225,515

Claims.

The invention relates to awnings.

One object of the invention is to provide an awning-structure which is provided with lockingmeans for locking the pivoted frame to which the `lower portion of the awning is attached, so that it will be impossible for wind-pressure to Vlift the frame or awning from below. Heretoiore, it hasbeen customary to provide a heavy frame and curtain and to depend upon their weight to hold` them down against upward wind-pressure. With said locking-means it is possible to use a material which is light in weight and a light frame, which can be easily raised by manual force. The locking-device automatically secures the frame in its lowered vposition and the lifting connection is adapted, when manipulated automatically to release the locking-device.

Other objects Vof the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly dened by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing: Fig. 1. is a perspective of a awning embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail of one of the automatic locking-devices for the pivoted frame. Fig. 3 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 2, parts being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of two of the sheaves for guiding the lifting and lowering-cords. a section through the `guide for directing the pullcord from the inside to the outside of the building. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 oi 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective of the inner sleeve of the .cordguide which carries the outer guide-sheave shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a perspective of the thirnble which carries the outer sleeve in said cord-guide. Fig. 9 is a perspective of a portion of the `outer sleeve of said cord-guide.

The invention is exemplined in a structure which comprises a supporting-frame having stiles I5, the upper ends of which are xedly connected together by a cross-bar I6. The stiles and bar may be formed of channeled or angle-iron stock. 'I'his frame is adapted to t against or be secured in the usual window-frame. A pivoted frame comprises side-members I1 which are pivoted at I 8 in lugs lda fixed to the stiles, and a cross-bar I9 to which the outer vends of bars I1 are rigidly secured.

The -curtain is formed of a suitable .light fabric and comprises a portion a which extends between the xed frame-bar IE and `cross-*bar I9 of the swinging-frame and sides a adapted, when the pivoted frame is lowered,to close the triangular spaces at the sides of theV xed and pivoted frames. The upper end of the curtain is `secured around a rod 22 which extends through ears 23 on the fixed frame-bar I6 and the other end of said curtain is connected to a rod 24 which is held Fig. 5 -SV around a sheave in pulley-blockl which is pivi on ears 25 on the swinging-frame. The inner lower corners of the curtain-sides are suitably attached to wires 2D which are xed on Stiles I5.

The swinging frame I1, I9 is supported in its lowered position by a pair of braces 32 which are respectively pivoted to the stiles at 33, and studs V34 which are fixed in side-.bars I1, respectively, and extend through inwardly extending openended slots 35 in the outer and lower portions of the braces. A latch 3,6 is pivoted on each of the studs 34 and is bifurcated to extend around the lower end of one of the braces'. Each latch 38 is provided with a cross-wall 31 which is adapted to it into a notch 38 in the outer end of brace 32. The latch comprises a downwardly extending arm 39 which serves as a weight for causing the wall 31 to enter the lnotch 33 when the swingingframe is lowered, and also has a means for Vconnection to the latch-operating cord. When the latch -is raised, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, cross-walls 31 will be disengaged from notches 38 so that the latches will be released so they can swing upwardly with the swingingframe. When the swinging-frame is lowered, the latches will drop by gravity so their cross-walls 31 will enter the notches 38 and lock braces 32 against upwardly swinging movement and thereby correspondingly lock the swinging frame I1, I 9.

`In order to make it possible to raise the curtain .and swinging-frame with slightl manual force, springs are applied to partially counterbalance the weight of the swinging-frame and the curtain. For this purpose, a torsion spring 26 is coiled around each pivot-stud I8. One end 21 of each spring is extended through one of the side-bars I1 of the swinging-frame and the other end 29 is held in a notched disk 28 which is xedly secured to the lug I8a in which pivot-stud is secured. Disk 28 has a ange with notches 3U in circumferential series so that the force of the spring may be adjusted. The use of braces 32 for preventing the upward swing of the frame, `makes it possible to use spring-pressure to assist in lifting the frame and curtain.

A cord-'system for raising and lowering the awning comprises a cord-pull di which is located inside of the Vwindow and is guided around a sheave 42 at the inside of the window-frame, and a sheave 43 adjacent the outside of the windowframe. Cord 4I is connected to a runner 44. Two cords 45, 46, each connected to runner 44-and to ears 41 at the corners of theswinging-frame I1, i9, respectively, are adapted to lift the frame and curtain. 'Cord 45 is extended around a sheave-48 in a pulley-block 49 which is pivotally supported from bar I6. From sheave 48, cord 45 passes otally suspended from fixed frame-bar I at one vside of the curtain. 'Cord 45 lifts the other side of the pivoted frame, and extends around a vcentral portion of fixed frame-bar I6.

Sheave in a pulley-block 52 which is pivotally suspended from bar |6. From block 52, cord 46 passes to an ear 53 which is xed to the pivoted frame near one of its front corners. Runner 44 is guided on the reach of cord 45 between pulleyblock 49 and pulley-block 5|.

The latches 36 are released by a pull on the cord 4| through a cor-d 54 which is connected to runner 44, passes around a second sheave in pulley-block 49, and around a sheave in a pulleyblock 55 which is pivot-ally suspended from the From pulley-block 55, cord 54 is provided with branches 56, which lead to the latches, respectively. Each branch passes around a sheave in a pulley-block 51 to a sheave in a pivoted pulley-block 58, and thence to one Yof the latches 39. Blocks 5l, 58 are pivotally connected to the pivoted frame.

Sheaves 42, 43 for pull-cord 4| are mounted in a tubular guide which is adapt-ed to extend through the window-frame or wall of a building, and comprises an outer sleeve 66 which fits into a hole bored through the frame. A cap 6| on the inner -en-d of sleeve 66 is provided with an opening for cord 4|. An inner sleeve 62 fits in the sleeve 60 and is provided at its front end with a xed cap -63 which has an opening in one side for the reach of cord 4| between sheave 43 and runner 44. A. tongue 64 is formed on outer sleeve 60 land ts in a slot 65 in sleeve 62 to hol-d i the sleeves against relative rotation. Sheave 43 Yis mounted in a thimble 66 which is provided with a tongue '61 which extends through slot 65 in sleeve 62 and which is engaged by tongue 64 so that the thimble will also be secured against rotation and vaxial movement relatively to the sleeves, and in the outer end of sleeve 62. This exemplifies a simple guide which may be readily installed for guiding the operating cord fromr the inside to the outside of the window.

The operation will be as follows: assuming the awning to be lowered, there will be suicient slack in the cords 45, so that when the operator pulls the cord 4| the runner 44 will rst operate the cord 54 a predetermined distance, which is suiicient to operate branches 56 of cord 54 to swing the latches 36 into the lower dotted position shown in Fig. 2. As soon as the latches 36 have been released, the slack in the cords 45, 46 will be taken up and there will be substantially equal ten-sion on cords 45, 46 and 54. Upon continued pull on cord 4|, cords 45, 46 will swing the bail l1, 9 upwardly and raise the curtain. The cord 4| may be secured to hold the frame raised in any suitable manner. When the latches 39 are released the swinging-frame |9 will be released by Ybraces 32, so the studs 34 can pass out of slots 35 and during the remainder of the lifting movement, the lower edges of brace-members 32. will ride on studs 34. During the lowering of the swinging-frame, which occurs when the cord 4| `is released, the studs 34 will re-enter slots 35 and limit the downward swinging of the frame. As soon as the cord 4| is release-d, latches 39 will drop by gravity so their cross-walls 31 will enter notches 38 and lock the braces 32 to the sides l1 of the swinging-frame and thereby lock said frame againstV upward movement. Springs 26 assist the operator in lifting the awning so little manual Vforce is required.

The invention exemplies an awning which comprises a swinging-frame and latches for locking the frame again-st upward movement by windpressure and which are automatically released by the lifting device and automatically become effective when the frame is lowered.

The invention is not -to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an awning structure comprising a bail pivoted to an awning support and braces for supporting the bail pivoted to the support, of latches pivoted to the side-bars of the bail and provided with means for engaging the braces and locking them against upward swinging movement, and stud-and-slot connections between the braces and the side-bars of the bail, the latches being adapted to secure the studs against movement in the slots and to permit the studs to move in the slots.

2. The combination with an awning structure comprising ya bail pivoted to an awning support and braces for supporting the bail pivoted to the support, of latches pivoted to the bail and provided with means for engaging the braces and locking them against upward swinging movement, and studs on the side-bars of the bail, the braces being provided with slots through which the studs extend, the latches being adapted to lock the studs against movement in the slots and to permit the studs to move in the slots for swinging movement of the braces.

3. The combination with an awning structure comprising a bail pivoted to an awning support and braces for supporting the bail pivoted to the support, of latches provided with forked ends embracing the free ends of the braces, and pivoted to the side-bars of the bail and provided with means extending across the free ends of and for engaging the braces and locking them against upward swinging movement, and stud-and-slot connections between the braces and the side-bars of the bail, the latches beingA adapted to secure the studs against movement in the slots and to move in the slots to permit swinging movement of the braces.

4. The combination with an awning structure comprising a bail pivoted to an awning support and braces for supporting the bail pivoted to the support, of latches pivoted to the side-bars of the bail and provided with means for engaging the braces and locking them against swinging movement, and studs for pivotally connecting the latches to the side-bars of the bail, the braces being provided with open-ended slots through which the studs extend and out of which they pass when the latches are disengaged from the braces tovpermit swinging movement of the bail.

5. `The combination with an awning structure comprising a bail pivoted to an awning support -and braces for supporting the bail pivoted to the Ythe braces being provided at their free ends with notches adapted'to receive the'engaging means `on the latches, and with slots through which the studs extend for permitting swinging movement of the braces when the locking means on the latches are'swung to release the brace-s.

'CHRISTIAN E. SKYM.. 

